As we come once again to Micah 4, we will read the entire chapter and look at only one of the five prophecies from the prophet Micah that is yet to be fulfilled. By the way, there is also a prophecy of the exact location for the birth of Jesus Christ which we will look at in a future daily devotional.

Last time we readMicah 4we looked at the prophecy of a future Temple in Jerusalem,verses 1-2. This time we will think about the "anticipation for peace," not only among the Jewish people, by people all over the world as well.

Verses 3-5speak of the "time of peace" coming. When the Messiah, Jesus Christ comes back to earth, He will rebuke strong nations and judge the people of the world. As the Messiah sets up His kingdom, which will be a "theocratic kingdom," all of humankind will "beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks", verse 3. This will be a time of "real peace" and the "people will learn of war no more".

We are talking about the period of time known as the "Kingdom Age" or the "Millennial Kingdom," the thousand - year rule and reign of Christ from His Temple in Jerusalem. This will be the only time in history when there will be "true peace" on the earth.

Remember, every time we pray for the "peace of Jerusalem", Psalm 122:6, we are praying for Jesus to come back and implement that peace, worldwide. Verses 4 and 5tell us something of that time when we walk with the Lord in His name.

By the way,verse 5says we will do that forever. However, I must remind you that before this time of "real peace" there will be a time of "peace", howbeit a pseudo-peace that will be set up by the coming world dictator, the Antichrist.

Another ancient Jewish prophet, Daniel, tells us of this coming short-lived peace.Daniel 9:27reveals to the reader that the Antichrist will bring about a peace between the Jewish state of Israel and its Islamic and Arab enemies.

This peace will set the stage for the enemies of Israel to watch as the Jews lay down their weapons and then these enemies will attack the Jewish State, Ezekiel 38:11.

Once the Jews are under the illusion of peace, their enemies rush in and try to destroy the Jewish people. Today there are many political leaders trying to bring peace to the Middle East. This anticipated "true peace" will not come until the "Prince of Peace", Jesus, comes back to earth; Micah 4:3-5.

However, the work of these world leaders to bring peace to the Middle East and the rest of the world will indeed set the stage for "Satan's peace plan". The Antichrist, in his first major action will set in place this "peace".

But before that peace is in place the Rapture must happen, when Jesus calls us up to be with Him in the heavens. The Rapture seems to be about to happen, what with all the talk about peace in the Middle East and all the work being done by world leaders to make that happen. It could be today.

PRAYER THOUGHT: Help me Lord to bring the message of "true peace" to a world that desperately wants it and needs a peace, found only in Jesus.